


Eight Words, Five Steps, One Love.

by orphan_account



Series: Blank [1]
Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Abduction, Brainwashing, Dark!Steve, Emotional Manipulation, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Isolation, Manipulation, Mental Instability, Mind Manipulation, Other, Past Brainwashing, Protective!Avengers, Protective!Bucky, Protective!Rhodey, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-21 14:01:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7390060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve loves Tony. Tony is his everything, his perfect little genius. It took him awhile to realise it, took him a few years to understand. Tony loves him too.</p>
<p>It will only take five steps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shrapnel

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Anything (and Everything) - remix](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7295149) by [Penned](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penned/pseuds/Penned). 



> I've never really written something like this before, so it might take a while for things to get really off the ground. I hope you like it!

Tony deserves happiness. He's sad, lonely and needs love. He doesn't deserve the nightmares or his fears. Tony should be able to swim with him without violent flashbacks, should be able to look at the stars at night without holding his head tight, should be able to breathe right without the fear of the weight that used to be in his chest.

Tony, however, needs limits. He can't keep fighting since every fight just adds to his fear. He needs limits because every time Tony fights, there's a chance he won't win. He always goes for the end that will save everyone but him. He needs to be told to sit and eat properly, to sleep and take a break at the right times. (And actually listen.)

Tony is small without the suit. He's not just short, and not just simply underweight, but he's small. Tony fights perfectly into his arms. He might have a larger than life personality, or at least that's one of his masks, but the real Tony is soft, kind and afraid. So, it has to be done soon. Tony has to be changed and controlled soon.

Otherwise, Steve will lose him.

\-----

The first step in the plan is finding out where the last step of the plan will happen. It has to be at one of the winter more solid bases, one of the Hydra bases. It can't be one they've found, one they've destroyed, but it can't be an active one. It has to have the chair and the proper bonds. It has to have the working tech.

He finds the perfect base. It's in Italy, right in the middle of nowhere. He steals some cloaking tech and hides the building. He removes its knowledge of its existence from Hydra's records. It's a small base, but the tech still works, as he tested out on the last Hydra member that was left alive on the one-man raid. He kept the man alive since he was the same size as Tony.

"One."

Scream.

"Arc."

Scream.

"Nine."

Scream.

"Power."

Scream.

"Seven."

Scream.

"Edwin."

Scream.

"Four."

Scream.

"Heart."

Scream.

"Shrapnel."

Silence.

It works. He finds the right current, and the right amount of words to say. It had to relate to Tony, that part is easy, but it can't be words Tony would hear on an daily basis. The man is compliant within hours. He tests it, just to be sure, and a few hours later, after he makes the man torture himself with no resistance, he's satisfied.

He makes the man dig his own grave.

He's Hydra, anyways. 

There is no remorse.

So step one is completed. Steve mentally checks it off, giving Tony a fake look of confusion when asked if he knew where one of the cloaking devices went. Soon Tony wouldn't have to worry about simple things like that.

\-----

The second step is getting closer to Tony without influence from anyone else. It's a bit hard, with Tony dealing with SI and him dealing with the Avengers, but the former is taken care of by the Black Widow when he's gone. She thinks it's a romantic thing, even with Tony still with Ms. Potts, but even she doesn't know how right she is.

"I'm glad you've stayed, Steve," Tony tells him one day. His heart flutters. "I'm really happy with you." Tony flushed as Steve brushes a lock of hair off his forehead. 

"I'm happy to be with you too, Tony." He replies. It's true. Tony is his everything. "I can't think of anyone else whom I'd have a friendship with." He wants to say relationship, but Tony doesn't understand yet.

He visits, bringing food they both like, actually listening to Tony when he does the cute thing: where he gets excited about inventions that he doesn't have to make, but the ones he wants to make. (He plans on hiding Dummy, to come back for when Tony is safe and they are hidden from all the evil.) It's an idea for when they're finally, truly together, that Tony doesn't have to make anything he doesn't want to. No more upgrades and sleepless nights.

He stays over when Tony is tired, when he can't sleep because of the nightmares. He makes hot tea, (with two sleeping pills crushed in,) and Tony falls asleep right against his side. He watches Tony sleep, how calm the man becomes with his sleep-tea, no nightmares. His hair is soft, his skin soft. He looks so much smaller in sleep.

"You make the tea just right. I can't figure out how you do it. I always feel so calm and there's no nightmares when I fall asleep after drinking it." Tony tells him, drowsy after drinking some of the tea. He leans into Steve's embrace, head resting on his chest.

"Only the best for you, Tony. Nothing less." He tells the man, leaning on his shoulder. He wraps an arm around Tony, bringing him close. Tony ducks his head and blushes, but there's a small smile. He falls asleep, just like that.

Steve doesn't make suggestions until a few weeks into his stay at Tony's home. It's slow. It has to be, this slight control. He suggests things he likes, things that Tony would like if he would allow it. It starts off with changing his regular coffee to decaf, (Steve claims it's going to be healthier, and even though it's true, he wants to show Tony that it's Steve who knows what's best for him.) Later, after Steve mentions he likes clean shaven faces, Tony's famous goatee is gone. He looks a lot younger, a lot more innocent. It's perfect.

"It's alright, baby." He whispers. Tony is asleep on the couch, his head in his lap. "I'll keep you safe. No one will hurt you. It will just be me and you." The next time Tony falls asleep on the couch, Steve allows himself a quick kiss on the cheek. Tony doesn't stir. 

This all proves that Tony is now taking his suggestions seriously.

Step two is complete.

\-----

Step three takes care of itself.

One rare night where Steve is at the facility, he gets a call from Tony. The man is drunk, and sobbing as he tells how Pepper broke it off, stating he had been getting to close for comfort with Steve. He goes outside, to the balcony, and smiles wide. (Even though he has to add alcohol to the no list, it's much better for Ms. Potts to break it off than to be the unfortunate victim of a car crash. He likes Hogan- the man kept his Tony safe for so many years.)

"I'm just so sad, Steve. What'd I do-I'd do wrong?" The man sobs over the phone. Steve's heart breaks. He has to leave tomorrow to go help him. "I'll never find love."

"Tony, it's going to be okay." It's true. Tony will be okay once he's with Steve. "I'll be there tomorrow morning. Get some sleep." He knows once he hangs up, Tony will sleep. He's trained him well.

Rhodes confronts him the next day, just as he's about to leave to see Tony. It's the usual shovel talk, telling him what would happen if he hurt Tony. He lets a fake nervous look, and nods.  
(He's seething on the inside. He'd never hurt his Tony. It's his Tony, and no one else's.) Rhodes, however. Is on the okay list. The only other person on the okay list is Banner. 

The okay list is the list of people who he had prepared to program into Tony. That if Steve were to be killed protecting him, (and only if he was dead,) Tony would put all his trust into one of them. Rhodes was on because he knew how Tony worked, (or did, before Steve changed a few details,) and would defend his friend for life. He could never take away Rhodes from Tony. Rhodes was way too important. 

Banner was on simply because of the Hulk, and the fact he could understand Tony's level of intelligence. He didn't know where Banner was, but Tony would be able to find him if Rhodes wasn't available. But this list is for only when Steve is dead. He knows Tony would find out if he were, and he'd be able to latch onto someone else. He can't imagine his Tony all alone, no one to care for him. Rhodes and Banner could do it. 

The first thing he does when he sees Tony is wrap his arms around the smaller man, sway him from side to side, and whisper nonsense about how it's for the best. Alcohol must go, since it's on the no list, and he helps Tony pour it all out, and takes the empty bottles to recycle while Tony takes a shower and shaves.

He makes sure to disable anything related to Pepper while Tony is distracted.

Step three is complete.

\-----

Step four is where things go a bit wrong. Step four is slowly separating himself from the Avengers, and keeping Tony away from them as well. He stops going to missions, taking longer breaks. There's no real trouble with it since Widow had been at it longer than him, but the media is concerned. They've seen him with Tony, in the very few pictures where Steve couldn't manage to block their view of the small man with his body.

It's actually surprising who caught onto him. Wanda, the sweet girl, sweet devious girl, stays home on one mission he has to go on. He arrived at the facility to drop everyone off to find her gone, a note stating she was with Tony for the weekend. Loneliness is what everyone guessed. It could be true, had it not been for the small, dark frown he had been given when he had arrived at the tower.

She had been talking to Tony, eyebrows furrowed in concern as she held one of his hands across the table. He, with his super hearing, could make out his name being mentioned. It was concerning, especially since the girl could read minds. 

"Tony, I am just concerned, you haven't been acting like yourself. You've lost a good amount of weight-"

Steve, behind the wall, considers this. He wants to keep Tony small and little and sweet. Tony can gain a few pounds when they're safe, but a pound or two now wouldn't hurt.

"-And that's bad, considering you actually needed to gain more weight. I it's okay. We're all here for you. Not just Steve."

He steps out at his name, setting his bag down with a fake smile and slight wave. "Hey Wanda. We got your note." It's all he says, as he takes in the reaction from both. He's happy to see Tony's eyes brighten, but Wanda's hidden dark look is concerning. They must have been talking about the time he and Tony had spent together. Wanda's curious, and curiosity can destroy what he has planned.

He walks, and draws Tony in close, letting the smaller man close his eyes and take him in. Tony's relaxation is artificial, Wanda must have done something. She gives him a dark look when Tony's eyes are closed, but she softens her smile and eyes when Tony bites his lip and smiles at her.

"You're probably hungry. You haven't eaten yet, Steve?" Steve shakes his head. Hopefully Tony will suggest going out, so that Wanda won't start anything until he's put Tony to bed for the night. "We could go out to that place you like? The Irish place?" Tony looks up at him, hopeful, and Steve nods with a smile. "Wanda, would you like to come? It's a pretty nice place." He looks at her, hopeful. She smiles kindly and nods.

"I would like that."

A hour and a half later, Tony has gone into the restaurant to get a wait time. Steve's alone with Wanda, and he only has a few minutes now to speak with her. She might leave once they get back to the tower, so he has to make it quick. "What were you talking about, with him?" He asks, not even moving his head to look at her.

She crosses her arms, and clenches her jaw. "None of your business. Don't think I know what you are doing. I've seen manipulation like that before. Tony needs real help, not your control." She tells him, Steve lets out a dark, low chuckle. "I'm serious. If this continues, I'm telling everyone."

"You'd know a lot about manipulation, wouldn't you?" He hisses. She flinches, but recovers quickly as Tony steps back outside, motioning for them to come in. Both plaster on fake smiles, and the dinner is spent with Tony taking up most of the conversation, happy to fill the silence. Wanda ignored him, instead asking questions as Steve picks at his meal, but makes sure Tony eats, just to prove Wanda's weight comment wrong. His Tony is perfect.

Later, after making tea for himself, Wanda and Tony, (the former having his usual calming tea,) Tony falls asleep on the couch, yet again on Steve. He plays with Tony's hair, sipping at his non-drugged tea as Wanda glares from him over the edge of her mug. "You know," he draws out, not looking up, "Staring at someone is very impolite." She hisses, setting down her mug with a slight force, but Tony doesn't stir-he wouldn't.

"I know what you're trying to do, Captain. Tony needs real, professional help. Not your fake, manipulative control." She hisses, low and deep. Her hands glow, and Steve is concerned, but doesn't show it. "I can show everyone what you are doing to him. You manipulate and isolate him. Natasha would be very interested in what you'd have to say about it."

It's a threat. Natasha has known Tony longer than him, known him at his worst. She was Tony's friend long before Tony was even his, and long before he was in acquaintance with her. Plus, she's manipulative herself, and so is Clint, and he'd rather have the assassins, (even though Clint is retired,) off of his radar. Ignoring the deep dwelling of longing in his gut, he smiles.

"Tony is happy with me. There's no more nightmares or panic attacks, I'm helping him sleep at night and have a better schedule, and we're working on him being more comfortable in public without acting like he was before. He's healthy and happy, and so am I." He's prepared this speech. He's ready for disagreements.

She narrows her eyes, but doesn't have an argument. "I'm watching you, Captain. Don't think I wouldn't." 

He smirks at her, drawing a blanket over Tony's body and runs a hand through his bangs. "Understood, ma'am." He snorts. Later, after she left to for the guest room, and he takes Tony to bed, he begins step five. 

Step five is where it all ends.

\----

"I'm sorry, Steve. This place looks empty. I don't think he was here." Tony peers around the corner of the base, Steve right behind him. He fakes a sigh, and runs a hand through his hair, discreetly checking his phone. 85% complete, it reads. He needs about 15 more minutes of distraction time. He grabs Tony's hand, and begins to lead him down a separate hallway.

"We might as well check their files. Maybe they have some info on where he was last?" He had to lie to get Tony here. He said he thought Bucky had been here last. His friend, his boyfriend, his Tony had to be lied to. He had already shut down Tony's security systems, (aka Friday,) and disabled their tracking system in the jet when they first got on at the tower. Now, at 90%, Tony's suit, (guarding the base) is almost disabled. Ten more minutes. He lies, leading Tony to where the room is-where Tony will become fully his, forever.

Except it's the wrong room. He hides his slight desperation, knowing he'd have to force Tony down the hallway and back to where the room was, but he can do it. Tony will have to learn who's in charge, have to learn who knows what's best for him. "That's odd. My suit isn't coming back." Tony mutters, looking at his arm-the sensors. Steve checks his phone. 100%.

"Tony." He states. The smaller man pauses, and looks up to him, crossing the room to where Steve stood, a look of concern on his face. "I need you to stay calm. It will be easy if you do." Tony raises and eyebrow, and takes a step back. His Tony is so smart. If those words had been spoken by anyone else, they'd be threatening. He just doesn't understand, but will soon, that Steve knows what's best.

"Stay calm? Steve-" In an instant, Steve has Tony by his arms, quickly, effortlessly, tying Tony's hands behind his back. Tony's struggling, screaming. His boy is so smart. But he is small. "Steve! Steve! What-what are you doing? Steve!" Steve ignores his cries, and lifts him over his shoulder. Tony bites, kicks, wiggles-but Steve is much much stronger.

"Tony, baby, please. This will all be over so soon if you just listen to me. Only a little bit of pain, sweetheart. Only for a little bit." The hallway seems shorter with Tony over his arms, screaming and struggling. It reminds him he needs to give Tony his mouth guard. Tony screams curses at him, anger and fear dripping from every word. Tony thinks Steve is being controlled by someone else, but Tony doesn't understand that Steve is the one in control.

The chair is ready for him, like he prepared a week before. It's clean, the straps are new, and the mouth guard is right on the arm rest. With one hand, he sets Tony down, keeping him down, and straps him in. He needs to give Tony a few minutes to calm down before he fixes him. He picks up the mouth guard, taking out a wipe to clean it as Tony catches his breath and tugs against the restraints. 

"Steve, Steve please-" Tony chokes on his words, head hanging low. Steve frowns, upset that Tony is so upset. He knows that this is what's best for his boy. "Please don't- don't do this." He begs, and Steve steps forward, one hand gently caressing Tony's face, pushing him back to add the last strap to his forehead, keeping his head locked to the headrest. He pushes in the mouth guard, then gently kisses Tony right on the cheek.

"It will all be okay, Sweetheart. I'm going to take care of you." Steve steps away, going to the control panel. Everything is ready. He turns it on, and waits a few moments. Tony is staring at him, eyes wide in fear. He's shaking, and his jaw is clenched so tightly. Steve smiles sadly at him, and takes a deep breath.

He turns the current on.

Tony's scream fills the room.

-

Pain.

Deep.

Deep.

Deep.

Pain. Sharp. Loud. 

Everything is breaking, everything shatters.

Words, names, memories come and go. 

"Natasha Romanoff." Pain. Red red red pain. Happy memories go. Replaced with pain and anger. Smiles shared. Replaced with angry eyes and punches. Lie lies liar. Liar person. Cheat. Not friend. Bad bad bad.

"One."

Pain stops. Gentle gentle gentle hands. Blond hair blue eyes-Steve. Good, happy. Holding hands. Good warm, sleep. Happy again. Kisses and hugs and nice things.

"Clint Barton." Pain again. Fake blue eyes. Bad arrows. Explosions. Fake like red. Purple fake. Arrow fake. Lie lies liar. Lie person like red. Lie person is purple and not good. Bad bad bad.

"Arc."

Pain stops again. Steve is back. Fights off the red and purple lie people. Holds him. Fixes him. Rubs his shoulders and neck. Says no to the lie people. Holds him softly and tightly.

"Sam Wilson." Pain is back. Angry eyes. Fights like bird, uses his creations. Hurts him in the air. Hurts him bad. Fake hurt. Real hurt. Not real. Real. Hurts in air.

"Nine."

Pain is gone. Steve is back. Fights off bird man. Sheild protects his body. Steve protects him. Bird man is gone. Gone for now, but he has Steve.

"Power"

There's another name, but he lets himself get into the rhythm. Whatever person tries to hurt him, whatever name is said, he knows Steve will be there to help him. To save him. Steve loves him, and he is lucky to love Steve back. He is Steve's, and no one else's. The pain comes with the others, but goes away with Steve.

Steve is all he needs.

\---

"Shrapnel." 

The pain goes away. His vision clears. There is fear, and he's looking. He's hurt. His whole body is on fire. He's somewhere. His savior, his love is somewhere. Steve will save him and take the pain away. He waits. He waits since Steve will be here soon. Opening his mouth, the mouthguard falls out, landing in his lap.

"Steve?" He whispers. Steve should be here. He hears a soft, happy sound from across the room, and Steve is there, in front of him in an instant. He smiles, eyes wet with tears as Steve begins to free him- someone put him here, someone kept him trapped and Steve, his Steve, is here to save him. 

"Tony-Tony thank god." Steve lifts him out of the chair with ease, (it's good, he now remembers his name is Tony,) and hugs him close. Steve is breathing and kissing his head and face, checking for injuries. He lets Steve do whatever he wants, and is helped to stand up. He takes the bottle of water and drinks, slowly, at Steve's request.

"Tony, I thought I lost you. I thought I'd be alone." Steve laughs, happily reunited with him. Tony rests his head on Steve's chest, taking him in. "You're safe now, Tony. Safe with me." He nods into Steve, letting tears of relief escape.

"Steve?" He asks, as the taller man leads him to the wall, where two backpacks are ready for them. Steve thought ahead. Steve knows what's right. The blonde looks at him, holding Tony close as he helps him redress-all his clothes are damp with sweat and grime. "I can't remember anything. All I remember is you and me. And everyone who hurt me. It's all blank, Steve." His throat closes up, and he choked back a sob.

Steve hugs him tightly, hiding Tony's face in his chest. "It's okay, Tony. You're with me now. I'll keep you safe. I'll help fill in the blanks." He keeps his voice soft and sympathetic, but his wide grin is the truth. Step five is complete. The plan was successful. 

Tony is his, and always will be.


	2. Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapter is so short! I ran into a lot of things at work, so maybe my chapters will be shorter that way I can update more often.

Steve smiled as he watched Tony paint, methodically rolling the red paint across the wall of the hallway, the color matching both Tony's armor red, and Steve's shield red. The house, chosen by Steve, sat on a large acre of Italian farm land, two hours away from Rome, and a ten-minute drive to a small town. Tony blended in more here, and most of the town was retired men and women.

They wouldn't get recognized here.

"What'd you think?" Tony asked, stepping down from a stool and walking to stand next to him, crossing his arms and smiling up. Steve grinned back, setting down the box of tools and wrapping an arm around Tony's shoulder. The red was bright and happy, but not too obnoxious and flashy. It was the color of his love.

"It's beautiful, Tony. I love it. Once it's dry, we can hang up the paintings I did. Why don't you go take a shower, and I'll lock up for the night." It wasn't dark out yet, but Tony needed to catch up on his sleep. Some memories tended to come back up when he got too tired. Steve also needed to get him off the sleep tea, he didn't want Tony addicted. Plus, once Tony was in a routine, he'd never break it.

"Okay. Maybe tomorrow we could start planting?" Tony asked, heading up the stairs. Steve considered this- he didn't want Tony outside when he wasn't outside, in case "Shield" or the Avengers came looking, but he also didn't want Tony to be disappointed. Tony didn't ask for much, wasn't fussy. "Maybe a few vegetables?" 

"Yeah, baby. It'd be something nice for us to do together that gets us nice and tan." He wanted Tony happy. If he had to plant a few crops to do it, he'd plant a whole farm. "Go take a shower. Red's our color, but it's much better when it's our clothes, not paint on our skin."

Tony laughed, and quickly headed up the stairs. He waited for the noise of the shower to reach his ears, then began to lock up. There were the locks Tony could find-regular ones on the door and windows, but there were also the invisible ones that were outside the door and windows that gave off a barrier, shocking anyone from the outside.

Anything to protect his boy.

\-----

"Friday recorded a jet leaving the tower two weeks ago at two am. Whoever hacked into it-" 

"Steve." Wanda hissed darkly, her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed. Sam and Clint shared a look- the retired archer having been called in to help. Natasha raised an eyebrow, but made no attempt to comment on Wanda's interruption. The girl could read minds; she wasn't about to discredit Wanda for an honest guess.

"-obviously had been at it for months. There was no way Tony wouldn't have noticed it if it had been done in a large amount, on a short amount of time." Natasha continued. Rhodes slammed his hands down on the table, making the others jump in surprise; he hadn't said much since Tony and Steve had disappeared, except for his calls in during random searches for his little brother.

Rhodey's eyes were red-rimmed and narrowed, and he took a deep breath, hand over his eyes before he began to speak. "The only person who could have possibly hacked Friday is Steve. He was the only one to be there consistently, the only one besides me to get close enough to Tony to be able to figure out Friday's code. Maximoff is right-"

"I don't know what you and Wanda are suggesting Rhodes, but I don't like the sound of it. Steve wouldn't do that to Tony." Sam said, standing straighter, puffing out his chest in defense. Rhodes crosses the floor, moving to stand in front of Sam, staring him down.

"Boys." Natasha pushed the men apart, glaring at each of them. Wanda pulled Rhodes away, Clint doing the same for Sam. "Right now, let's focus on finding them. Once we get Friday back online, we can see if she can track his suit. Hopefully he wouldn't be far from it. Rhodey, you know Friday's codes. Once Vision gets back, get with him and figure out how to get her back online."

"Sam, take Clint and scout all security cams. Find any facial matches to Tony and Steve. Only 80% and up."

"So rule out the entirety of Italy? Spain? Ireland? France-" Clint began listing off multiple countries, Sam pulling him along as he shook his head. 

"What are you going to do?" Wanda raised an eyebrow at Natasha, as the redhead stared at the Archer walking away. Once Sam, Rhodes and Clint were out of range, Natasha immediately got to work, typing quickly on her keyboard and phone.

"I'm contacting a friend of ours. I'm hoping he can help." Wanda nodded curtly, and left the room, managing to get a quick peek on who Natasha was calling- she barely made out the image of an eyepatch before closing the door behind her. She had another task at hand, and it was best if very few knew about it. She could trust Rhodes, and she could trust Vision. Both knew Tony better than anyone else, Vision having all of Jarvis' memories. 

They could make their own plan.

\-----

“Wanda is wrong.” Sam muttered, fingers ghosting over the starkpad, the monitors on screen matching his commands. Clint was putting in the last pictures of Steve and Tony, noting the difference in Tony’s whole physique. Face clean shaven, his body an even smaller petite, especially compared to Steve. While Tony looked smaller, and the disappearance of the famous goatee was concerning, the lack of bags under the genius’ eyes and standing straighter was an improvement.

“Maybe.” Clint muttered. Sam shot him a look, but Clint noted it wasn’t just anger. “Sam, listen. Most of you didn't even see Tony a lot, and Wanda called me after the weekend she spent with him. From her perspective, Steve was very protective. And it wasn't the 'My boyfriend likes to tell terrorists his home address' kind of protective. It was a creepy kind. She told me what he told her."

Sam frowned, and raised an eyebrow. "What did she say?"

Before the archer could reply, two loud beeps brought their attention back to the monitors. Clint's heart sank as Friday beeped, coming back on to show them the footage she collected. Sam closed his eyes to prevent them from watering. An image of something that they'd only read about flashed across the screen.

Clint and Sam had the same prayer- thanking whatever God out there that there was no sound. 

They knew they'd never forget Tony's screams if they could hear them.

"Fuck."

\-----

"So we have tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers..." Tony trailed off, picking each packet of seeds as he listed their names, setting them on the table. Steve watched as he unpacked the boxes of gardening tools, slight smile on his face. Tony had perked up so quickly when they had gotten to the small village's market, happily skipping to each booth, buying at least one thing from each seller.

He was determined to keep that smile on Tony's face. 

"...and I think that's all! This will be great, Steve. I can't wait to start." Tony came around him, putting his arms around his body, hugging him from behind. "Thank you, thank you Steve. I promise you'll enjoy it." Tony told him, Steve swelling with love. Turning his body to switch their positions, he straddled Tony in the chair, peppering kisses all over the smaller mans face.

"Anything for you, my love. You know, once the tomatoes grow, we can make our own authentic spaghetti. I know how to make real spaghetti noodles from scratch. That can be our goal." Steve told him. Tony beamed up, happily grabbing Steve's hands and rubbing them in his own. Steve smiled warmly at him, then gently leaned in to kiss Tony. 

It was perfect.

\----

Sorry the chapter is so short! I ran into a lot of things at work, so maybe my chapters will be shorter that way I can update more often.


End file.
